CamNEWS

December 12, 2018

Articles

Senior School

It is hard to believe that we are already in Week 7 of Term One and that the holidays are merely two weeks away. As a reminder school concludes for the holidays at 3.25pm on Thursday 29 March and commences for Term Two on Tuesday 17 April at 8.25am with Winter Uniform being optional for all Senior School students in this week.

We have two major events in the School calendar in the up-coming weeks and I urge all families to ensure they have their tickets booked for the House Dance which takes place on Friday 23 March at 7.00pm in the Barbara Sutton Hall. The following week we will celebrate Cabaret Night on Wednesday 28 March at 7pm in the Barbara Sutton Hall. In both instances, the students have been working hard to ensure their performances are examples of the high quality work produced at Camberwell Girls.

This week we have welcomed parents into the Senior School for the ‘Promoting Adolescent Health and Wellbeing – Sleep and Nutrition’ Parent Education Session. Dr Linda Schachter, Medical Director of Sleep Services Australia and Dr Vanessa Alford, Physiotherapist, Nutritionist and Clinical Pilates instructor, spoke to the parents with great clarity and insight about the needs of adolescents in terms of sleep and nutrition. The session was well attended and I strongly encourage parents to check What’s On and Senior School Weekly where such events are advertised.

Last night the parents of students completing VCE studies attended Learning Conversations with their daughter and her teachers. These three-way conversations are our means of ensuring all our students are fully supported by the School and her parents to achieve her best outcomes in each of their subject areas.

Drama Camp – AdelaideThis year’s Adelaide Drama Camp contained a wide selection of performances chosen for the variety of ways in which they delivered their story. The act of sharing story is a human imperative. Theatre provides a “safe” space to enter into the philosophical and emotional conundrums of life.

Our stories this year included a children’s perspective on terrorism, a multimedia miniature scrutiny of war, a fusion of classical Indian dance and contemporary movement to express a perspective on colonisation, a one woman show set in a lap pool “diving” into the emotional issues of pregnancy, the overwhelming assault of the senses for a fractured family unit negotiating life with a disability, a completely joyous silent disco tour of the streets of Adelaide and finishing with some incredible feats of human strength and co-ordination from a Canadian circus.

It was a privilege to share these experiences with such a mature and engaged group of students.

International Women’s DayLast Thursday, March 8, was International Women’s Day. To celebrate this important occasion, girls from both Senior and Junior school worked alongside volunteers from the not-for-profit organisation Days for Girls to make 100 Feminine Hygiene Kits that will be donated to disadvantaged women and girls in Cambodia. The kits made by our students will be delivered in September when our next Service Learning Tour travels to Cambodia.

Days for Girls is an organisation who provide menstrual care solutions, health education, and opportunities to help girls and women generate income within developing countries. Every washable Feminine Hygiene Kit enables the girls and women to have up to 180 days of education they would otherwise miss, plus added health benefits, safety and dignity.

More than $1200 was raised from the Shrove Tuesday Pancake Stall and the Days for Girls Stall at the Summer Spectacular which enabled the purchase of all the materials used to put together the 100 kits.

It is wonderful to be in partnership with such a practical and effective organisation and to know that these products, fundraised and created by members of our community, will be appreciated.

International Women’s Day BreakfastOn Monday 5 March, nine students and two teachers had the opportunity to attend an International Women’s Day breakfast at Parliament House held by the Alliance of Girls Schools. The theme for this year’s IWD was #PressforProgress. According to the World Economic Forum Gender Equity Report, we are 200 years away from achieving true gender parity on a global level.

At the breakfast, we had the opportunity to listen to Sally Capp reflect on her life, including her successes and struggles. Sally Capp has worked more than 10 jobs in her lifetime including being the first female board member of the Collingwood FC, the Agent-General for Victoria in London, and more recently Sally Capp is now a candidate for Lord Mayor of Melbourne.

Capp spoke about the value of education and how education acts as a platform for knowledge and confidence. She highlighted that education provides us with the opportunity to be focused job creators instead of job seekers. She also spoke about the importance of taking risks and approaching each new adventure with open-mindedness.

GSV Diving Preliminary FinalsOn Friday 2 March, the Camberwell Girls Diving squad headed to MSAC, to compete in the GSV Preliminary Diving Competition. The divers were exceptional and should be really pleased with their efforts. Our Juniors, students in Years 7 and 8 were placed 1st in their division, while the Intermediates, Years 9 and 10, placed 2nd. We were thrilled to be achieve 2nd place overall, and will be competing in Division 2 for GSV Championships.

Congratulations to all the divers on their hard work and training and we hope to see them continue their brilliant dives in the up-coming championships.

GSV Swimming Preliminary FinalsAlso on Friday 2 March the Camberwell Girls Swimming team headed to MSAC to compete in the annual GSV Swimming Preliminary Finals. The Juniors and Intermediates had an outstanding afternoon and performed exceptionally well at their chosen events, while the Seniors made an extremely valuable contribution to the team’s overall results. Camberwell Girls placed 6th overall on the day and have qualified for Division 2 in the Championships to be held on Tuesday 20 March.

Thank you to Peter Kitney and Lauren Law for organising the day and ensuring that everything ran smoothly, and all the coaches that have helped us train for the day.

House AthleticsOn Tuesday 6 March, the Camberwell Girls Senior School headed to the Doncaster Athletics Track for the annual House Athletics. We were fortunate to have lovely weather, and it was great to see all the students in their House colours, enthusiastically cheering on their House participants in all the events. The students competed in an array of events including field, track and novelty relays.

Congratulations to Singleton House, who won the spirit stick for their support of their House, and congratulations once again to the Taylor House for their overall win. This year makes it Taylor’s 11th year in a row winning House Athletics.

Many thanks to Ms. Law for her outstanding organisation of the House Athletics day and to all the teaching staff for their contributions towards making this event so successful.

Well done to all houses for their splendid efforts, and we can’t wait to see everyone back on the athletics track for GSV training.

1st – Taylor
2nd – Lawrence
3rd – Schofield
4th – Singleton

Last Friday we acknowledged and congratulated the students listed below, whose efforts on the day saw them receive Year Level Championship awards.

GSV TriathlonIn 2018 CGGS had a record number of participants in the GSV Triathlon as 15 girls competed in 5 different teams in the Victoria Schools Triathlon Championships. Despite the early arrival to Elwood beach on a Sunday morning, this is always a favourite event for students and once again the girls should be very proud of their teamwork and performance on the day.

Duke of Edinburgh AwardThe Duke of Edinburgh Award is a leading youth development program, empowering all young Australians aged 14 to 25 to explore their full potential regardless of their location or circumstance. Through this challenging journey of self-discovery, participants:

– Are equipped and empowered to achieve their personal best;

– Learn to take responsibility for their goals and choices;

– Become connected to and actively engaged within their immediate community;

– Make a real difference to society through their positive contributions and involvement;

– Learn to persevere and overcome barriers to success;

– Learn important life skills; and

– Increase their career opportunities.

In 2018, Education Outdoors Captains Matilda Kutey and Isabella Lincke will be assisting students with the online process of recording their hours and assisting in the coordination of the adventurous journey components.